Written Answers

Thursday 7 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Access to Information

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it issues to public bodies such as health boards concerning the release of information to MSPs.

Angus MacKay: Executive NDPBs have to operate the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, which came into force on 1 July 1999. NHS organisations, including health boards, must subscribe to the Code of Practice on Openness in the NHS in Scotland and also the Code of Practice on the Confidentiality of Personal Health Information.

Agriculture

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of grant aid it estimates organic farming will receive from the European Union in each of the next four years.

Ross Finnie: The EU contribution to the cost of Organic Aid Scheme (OAS) commitments entered into before 31 December 2000 is estimated to be as follows:

  


2001-02 


2002-03 


2003-04 


2004-05 




£1.47 million 


£1.06 million 


£0.76 million 


£0.05 million 




  The OAS applications received in 2000, which we expect to approve, will attract EU funding as follows:

  


2001-02 


2002-03 


2003-04 


2004-05 




£0.73 million 


£0.73 million 


£0.52 million 


£0.36 million 




  Agri-environment scheme commitments (including the OAS) entered into from 1 January 2001 will be funded from resources generated by the application of modulation to the CAP direct payment schemes. It is anticipated that modulation will generate EU resources for agri-environment schemes as follows:

  


2002 


2003 


2004 


2005 




£5.10 million 


£7.30 million 


£10.00 million 


£12.00 million 




  The precise amounts will depend on the level of CAP direct payments in each year. The proportion, which will be devoted to the OAS, will depend on the number and value of applications submitted by farmers.

Anti-Social Neighbours

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to collate centrally information on the number of anti-social behaviour orders which each local authority (a) applies for and (b) is granted and whether it will issue guidelines which will help to simplify the application process for such orders.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no plans to collect this information centrally. However, the Executive has commissioned the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland to undertake a follow-up to its survey last year on the use of anti-social behaviour orders and the extended powers of eviction for anti-social behaviour under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The outcome of this survey will be published in the spring and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  Guidance was issued to local authorities on 15 March 1999 on the procedures and best practice to be adopted in handling these Orders. Further good practice guidance will be commissioned to fill any gaps identified by the new survey, by the recent Mullen Report on the Use of Civil Legal Remedy for Neighbour Nuisance in Scotland and by the Anti-Social Behaviour Champion, when appointed.

BSE Inquiry

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be put in place in response to the publication of the BSE Inquiry Report by Her Majesty’s Government in October 2000.

Ross Finnie: The UK Government is studying all of the BSE Inquiry team’s findings with care and their substantive response to the report will be published in the coming months. The Scottish Executive is fully engaged in contributing to this response. The UK Government will provide an update on progress before the end of the year.

  The Phillips Report is concerned with issues and events relating to animal health and food safety between 1986 and 1996. Strict measures have been introduced since then to prohibit the use of mammalian bone meal in feed for all farmed livestock. The Over Thirty Months Scheme and regulations requiring the removal of specified risk material control both the age and type of bovine material which enters the food chain. These measures are kept under constant review by the Food Standards Agency, which provides the Government with independent advice. The agency has stated that the report does not give rise to any immediate need for new food safety measures.

British-Irish Council

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what areas were identified as priorities at the last British-Irish Council meeting and what progress has been made in relation to these priorities.

Henry McLeish: The first summit meeting of the British-Irish Council identified five subjects, transport, social inclusion, environment, the knowledge economy and drugs, for priority attention. The lead administrations for each have since been developing proposals and work programmes for co-operation and information exchange on these subjects; the subject of social inclusion is the joint lead responsibility of the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales.

  Ministers met in London on 2 October to discuss work on the environment, and officials from the various administrations have met to consider proposals on the other four subjects. The UK and Irish Governments, who form a joint Secretariat to the council, hope shortly to confirm arrangements for a second council summit, in Dublin, which will consider the developing work programmes.

Cancer

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Scientist Office would consider favourably applications for research into treatments of mesothelioma.

Susan Deacon: The CSO would be pleased to receive research applications into treatments of mesothelioma, which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Cancer

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct in Scotland a trial similar to the small scale trial of drug treatment for mesothelioma sufferers which is currently underway in Newcastle General Hospital.

Susan Deacon: I would refer you to the answer given in response to question S1O-2598 on 30 November 2000.

Crofting

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance its Rural Affairs Department is giving to crofters.

Ross Finnie: In the last financial year, spending on support exclusively or mainly for crofters amounted to just over £7.2 million. In addition, crofters received a share of almost £95 million spent in support of agricultural activity in the Highlands and Islands.

Education

Mr John Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue matriculation cards to school pupils who are over 16 in order to put them on an equal footing with students of the same age who are in further education.

Mr Jack McConnell: Matriculation cards are issued by individual colleges. Their similar use in schools would therefore be a matter for schools or local authorities.

Energy Conservation

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider publishing the results from the Home Energy Conservation Act reports collected this year from local authorities in a more accessible, league table format, showing improvements to date and average carbon dioxide output in the residential sector, per capita and per household, for each local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: Local authorities are required to publish their reports under the Home Energy Conservation Act. We will be publishing a report on their progress generally in working towards their HECA targets under a range of headings including those described. The report will give some examples of good practice but will not comprise a league table.

European Convention on Human Rights

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has committed to educating the public on their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and what form any such education will take.

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has committed to educating voluntary organisations on the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights for their work and what form any such education will take.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Human Rights Act, which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law, is UK legislation. The Home Office’s Human Rights Unit has taken the lead in an extensive information and advertising campaign right across the UK on people’s rights under the Act. Guidance material has been provided to libraries and Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, and is freely available via a telephone order line. In addition, the Scottish Executive has circulated guidance to all public authorities in Scotland, and we have set up an internet website including basic information, references and contact points.

European Funding

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to ensure the success of the bid for Urban II funding for Port Glasgow and how local community groups will be involved in the disbursement of any Urban II funding in the event that the bid is successful.

Angus MacKay: The outline programme provided to the European Commission on 17 November makes a strong case in meeting the guidelines for URBAN II. The Scottish Executive will now be working closely with Inverclyde Council and other local partners to ensure that the formal document underlines this.

  URBAN II lays particular emphasis on developing local capacity and the "bottom-up" approach. Implementation arrangements will be developed consistent with these principles.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what grant aid it will make available for (a) training of fishermen and (b) safety equipment carried by fishing vessels.

Rhona Brankin: As I indicated on 6 November (question S1W-10937), we are making up to £1.5 million available over the next three financial years to support the delivery of safety training for fishermen in Scotland. Delivery is planned to commence from next April. Other aspects of training may also be eligible for support under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).

  We will also make available grant funding of up to 40% of eligible project costs to support testing and trials of innovative safety equipment.

  These measures succeed the Fishing Vessels (Safety Improvements) (Grants) Scheme 1995, which operated on a UK basis and funding for which ended last year.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct an audit of facilities and budgets for chronic pain relief in the NHS.

Susan Deacon: There are no immediate plans to conduct such an audit.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the payment structure is for lay members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups, whether it differs from that for the rest of the UK and, if so, what the reasons are for this difference.

Susan Deacon: Lay members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups will receive reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses and compensation for loss of earnings in accordance with NHS rules.

  The board has decided not to pay lay members (unlike, I believe, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Centre for Health Improvement (CHI)) because the board felt that this would breach the tradition of voluntarism and in response to views expressed by a number of potential lay members that payment would compromise their independence.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what payments are made to technically qualified members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups.

Susan Deacon: Technically qualified members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups will receive no payment other than reimbursement of travel and subsistence if they are NHS employees. This is in accordance with Health Department policy and the funding for the board was calculated on this basis. The board will, however, pay locum fees to independent contractors on production of evidence that a locum has been employed.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that appointments to the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups follow fair and independent procedures and what weight will be given to lay views on such groups.

Susan Deacon: Nominations to the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups were invited from all NHS Trusts in Scotland, from Health Councils and from a wide range of voluntary organisations. In addition, individuals who, for example, attended the board’s open meetings, have been invited to put themselves forward. Selection from the pool of nominations will be undertaken by the board’s staff in accordance with selection criteria the board has determined. The board is also working to develop more open procedures to enable as many people as possible to put themselves forward.

  The lay members of review groups are full members and their views will have exactly the same weight as those of members drawn from the NHS.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what training provision is in place to provide lay members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s service review groups with the level of specialist knowledge required to carry out their duties effectively and which organisation provides any training given.

Susan Deacon: All lay members of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland’s review groups attend a two-day training course which covers general reviewing skills. This course has been developed and piloted on the board’s behalf by Dumfries and Galloway Health Council.

  Lay reviewers also attend training prior to an actual review visit, in the delivery of which the board is being assisted by three external training organisations.

Health Promotion

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to co-ordinate expert advice in the promotion of better public health.

Susan Deacon: On 3 July this year I announced the establishment of the Public Health Institute for Scotland. The institute will focus and co-ordinate efforts to improve public health. In addition the Chief Medical Officer’s Leadership Group on Public Health, formed earlier this year, contributes expert advice on public health matters.

  We are currently considering further measures to improve co-ordination, and hence impact, of our work in public health. The Scottish Health Plan will address some of these issues.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has held with the Holocaust Educational Trust in relation to the holding of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Mr Jim Wallace: A meeting was held by officials of the Justice and Education Departments on 9 March with the Deputy Director of The Holocaust Educational Trust to discuss the Memorial Day arrangements and the production of educational material for schools.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what input black and ethnic minority communities will have to the inquiry to be led by Dr Raj Jandoo to review liaison with victims’ families in the justice system in the light of the experience of the Chhokar family.

Colin Boyd QC: It will be for Dr Jandoo to determine the extent and form of the input that he seeks during his inquiry. I understand he intends to consult with representatives of the ethnic minority communities and his remit requires him to consult with the Chhokar family and their representatives and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Justice

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail by local authority area, for each year since the diversion from prosecution scheme was introduced, the number of people who have been diverted from prosecution and what crimes they committed.

Mr Jim Wallace: Piloting within 18 local authority areas of 100% funded schemes of diversion from prosecution to social work and other service agencies commenced in 1997. Information supplied by the local authorities on the number of cases commenced each year is set out below:

  


Authority 


1997-98 


1998-99 


1999-2000 




Aberdeen City 


56 


67 


67 




Clackmannanshire 


32 


40 


20 




East Ayrshire 


19 


24 


21 




Edinburgh 


122 


341 


397 




Midlothian 


50 


66 


36 




Glasgow 


* 


* 


* 




Highland 


126 


42 


72 




Inverclyde 


30 


60 


59 




North Ayrshire 


80 


42 


31 




North Lanarkshire 


112 


341 


341 




Perth & Kinross 


16 


63 


76 




Scottish Borders 


50 


108 


95 




South Lanarkshire 


34 


81 


92 




West Dunbartonshire 


18 


70 


98 




Western Isles 


2 


1 


0 




Dumfries & Galloway 


121 


115 


70 




Shetland 


23 


23 


5 




Orkney 


10 


11 


11 




  * Although piloting took place in Glasgow, the purpose there was to explore the use of two highly targeted schemes rather than assess the wider potential for diversion. Numbers for Glasgow were not collected during the course of the evaluation.

  Information on the offences allegedly committed by diverted accused is not held centrally. However, such data was collected by researchers as part of the evaluation of the pilot schemes. The evaluation report Diversion from Prosecution to Social Work and Other Agencies: Evaluation of the 100% Funding Pilot Programmes was published in January as part of the Executive’s Central Research Unit’s Criminology Series and I am arranging for a copy of this to be sent to the member.

Justice

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the process involved in diverting cases from prosecution and detail the guidelines which were issued to procurators fiscal to aid them in this process.

Colin Boyd QC: Diversion is the referral of an accused to the supervision of a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist or mediator for the purposes of support, treatment or other action as an alternative to prosecution. It has its formal origins in the Second Report of the Stewart Committee on Alternatives to Prosecution. The object of diversion is to obtain, in a case in which prosecution would otherwise be justified, a disposal which, having regard to the personal circumstances of the accused, is more satisfactory on humanitarian grounds than prosecution or which may prevent the re-occurrence of offending conduct through early or intensive intervention outwith the court.

  Diversion arrangements are local and therefore vary throughout the country. Procurators fiscal hold very detailed guidelines which address the different models available but it is possible to state here the three essential features of the guidance which are common to all arrangements. Those features are:

  In considering diversion, as in considering any other option, procurators fiscal are instructed to have regard to the whole circumstances including the gravity of the offence and the interests of the victim.

  People rather than cases are diverted. Subject to a long-standing Lord Advocate’s direction that offenders who breach Sex Offender Orders should not be considered for diversion, no other category of crime is automatically excused from a diversion scheme. As a general rule, however, the more serious the criminal conduct, the more likely it is that prosecution rather than diversion should take place.

  Before an accused is considered for diversion there must be sufficient evidence to prosecute. Where the procurator fiscal receives a case and decides not to prosecute, for whatever reason, but considers that the accused would nevertheless benefit from social work intervention, then he may still bring the case to the attention of the Social Work Department, but such cases do not form part of a diversion scheme.

  Under the "deferred prosecution" model, with diversion to the Social Work Department (which represents the most common arrangement), the process is generally as follows:

  the procurator fiscal decides that a case is worthy of prosecution but considers that diversion should be canvassed;

  the procurator fiscal contacts the Social Work Department and, if appropriate, sends to them a copy of the police report;

  the Social Work Department check their own records from which they may be able to decide whether they consider the accused would be a suitable candidate for assessment for diversion;

  the Social Work Department reports their view to the procurator fiscal as to suitability for assessment;

  the procurator fiscal writes to the accused asking if he is willing to participate in the assessment process;

  if within seven days the accused says that he is not willing to participate (and thus opts out) the procurator fiscal should notify the Social Work Department and thereafter reconsider the case for prosecution;

  if the accused does not opt out then the Social Work Department will arrange to interview the accused;

  within 21 days, the Social Work Department provides a written report to the procurator fiscal on the outcome of the interview;

  the procurator fiscal decides whether to divert or prosecute and intimates his decision to both the Social Work Department and the accused;

  no later than three months thereafter, the Social Work Department will submit a progress report to the procurator fiscal. If diversion is proceeding satisfactorily then intimation that no proceedings are to be taken is made to the accused. If diversion is not proceeding satisfactorily the accused is be prosecuted without further delay, and

  on completion of diversion the Social Work Department will submit a final report to the procurator fiscal in order that success or otherwise may be monitored.

Land Reform

Mr John Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing the Land Reform Action Plan published in August 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that the fifth progress report of action to implement our wide-ranging Land Reform Action Plan is published today. All MSPs are receiving copies.

  Members should note that, since the last progress report:

  the Scottish Law Commission has published proposals and a draft Bill to reform title conditions;

  a contract has been let for research to consider the need for improved information on rural landholdings;

  the Crofters Commission has published guidance on community management; and

  the New Opportunities Fund has announced the Award Partner to administer the £10.8 million Scottish Land Fund (a partnership of Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise).

Multiple Sclerosis

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in relation to the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for multiple sclerosis sufferers.

Susan Deacon: Although hyperbaric oxygen therapy may give symptomatic relief to some multiple sclerosis sufferers, there is no clinical evidence to suggest that it is in any way effective in arresting the progress of multiple sclerosis. There is, therefore, no national policy or national arrangements for the provision of this therapy.

Museums

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available in order to avert possible closure of Springburn Museum in Glasgow.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has statutory responsibility to provide funding for the National Museums and Galleries of Scotland, but the responsibility for independent museums lies solely with those who create and operate them. Many of the 160 independent museums, which were set up without reference to the Executive or its predecessor, are facing financial difficulties and the Executive cannot be expected to fund them all.

New Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the New Deal for Young People in Scotland has performed to date.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Figures to end-September 2000 show that 60,900 young people had joined the New Deal programme and 29,200 had secured jobs, of which 21,800 were sustained.

New Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of those who started the New Deal for Young People at its inception are still in job placements.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners including the Scottish Executive.

  This information is not available. Youth unemployment has fallen by 63% over the last two years.

Pensioners

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pensioner households had incomes (a) before housing costs and (b) after housing costs of less than (i) 70%, (ii) 80%, (iii) 90% and (iv) 100% of the relevant year’s Great Britain mean income in (i) 1979-81, (ii) 1988-89, (iii) 1992-93, (iv) 1996-97, (v) 1997-98 and (vi) 1998-99.

Jackie Baillie: The information which is readily available is shown in the following table:

  Scotland: Percentage of pensioners in households with income below various income thresholds, both before (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC):

  





70% mean 


80% mean 


90% mean 


100% mean 







BHC 


AHC 


BHC 


AHC 


BHC 


AHC 


BHC 


AHC 




1996-97 


60 


55 


68 


65 


75 


70 


82 


76 




1997-98 


54 


50 


65 


59 


72 


66 


79 


74 




1998-99 


58 


54 


69 


64 


76 


72 


84 


78 




  Source: DSS, Households Below Average Income.

  Notes:

  1. Income is net equivalised household income; equivalisation takes account of the number of individuals living in the household.

  2. The income thresholds all relate to the GB mean equivalised household income of the year referred to, i.e. the contemporary mean.

  3. The estimates are based on sample counts and are subject to sampling variability.

  4. Caution should be used in drawing conclusions about changes over time due to the small sample sizes in Scotland.

Planning

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of Reporters employed by it to decide planning inquiries contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights in terms of whether an applicant has a fair hearing.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6779 on 30 May 2000.

Police

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of total police force funding was allocated to each police force in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Jim Wallace: Funding for the police is provided annually through the Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) process. The figures requested are shown in the following table.

  


Force 


1998-99 


1999-2000 


2000-01 




Central 


4.57% 


4.61% 


4.51% 




Dumfries & Galloway 


2.80% 


2.91% 


2.87% 




Fife 


5.45% 


5.45% 


5.61% 




Grampian 


8.56% 


8.55% 


8.48% 




Lothian & Borders 


18.07% 


18.12% 


18.03% 




Northern 


5.28% 


5.20% 


5.26% 




Strathclyde 


47.52% 


47.47% 


47.47% 




Tayside 


7.76% 


7.70% 


7.76% 




Total 


100% 


100% 


100% 




GAE Total 


£691 million 


£714.720 million 


£741.920 million

Police

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with police forces regarding any impact on bail conditions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have discussed   the subject of   bail with the police as part of routine and continuing   discussions on a range of ECHR issues.

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill, in particular on any impact it might have on local government in Scotland, on the number of Scottish MSPs and on any referenda that might be held in Scotland.

Angus Mackay: The Scottish Executive is in contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including certain aspects of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce any initiatives which integrate prison support with community support to ensure that prisoners with drug problems receive continuity of care and treatment on release.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10118.

Public Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide to visually impaired persons, whether the impairment is total or partial, the maximum rate of concession under the proposed travel concession scheme set out in section 68 of the Transport (Scotland) Bill; whether it will provide details of what concessionary fares scheme will be introduced for those who suffer generally from a disability or injury and of any criteria which will be applied, and whether it will publish such criteria prior to any further consideration of the Bill by the Parliament.

Sarah Boyack: Section 68 of the Transport (Scotland) Bill will enable Scottish Ministers to set, common to all Scottish local authorities, a basic level of concession for pensioners and disabled people travelling within Scotland. No maximum level of concession is specified in section 68.

  New resources will be provided to local authorities to enhance existing concessionary fares schemes in order to provide pensioners and people with disabilities in Scotland with free local bus travel within existing scheme boundaries from October 2002 for journeys outwith the morning peak. The eligibility criteria for disabled people are entirely a matter for the local authorities operating existing concessionary fares schemes.

  The existing voluntary national concessionary fares scheme for blind and partially sighted people continues to deliver free travel throughout Scotland on train, bus and ferry services.

Rail Network

Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the rail network.

Sarah Boyack: In July the Deputy Prime Minister announced a 10-year investment programme for the railways of £60 billion. Over the last two years a total of £50 million of Public Transport Fund and Freight Facilities Grant has been committed to rail projects in Scotland. On 28 November, the Scottish Executive published its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland’s passenger railways, which set out the Executive’s vision and key objectives.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Scheme

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed ex gratia payments to members of the Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes will be equal to their pension entitlement under the schemes.

Sarah Boyack: Details of the settlement are under consideration and proposals will be brought before the Scottish Parliament for approval in due course.

Sexual Offences

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in the light of the findings of the report commissioned by it, The Attrition of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System , completed in May 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Attrition of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System was a feasibility study, completed in June 1999, which provided preliminary findings from a pilot sample. Since then, consideration of the responses to the consultation paper Towards A Just Conclusion indicated that the priority was to produce legislative proposals to improve the protection of victims in sex offence cases. We have now published our proposals for restrictions on cross-examination of complainers in sex offence cases and will be working on further proposals to protect other vulnerable victims.

  We are committed to taking forward, in the New Year, related research on vulnerable witnesses and an investigation of the treatment of sexual offence witnesses in court. We will keep the requirement for further research under review. Additionally, we are working on new information technology systems which should make it easier to track individual cases and aid future research.

Sport

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) new public playing fields have been provided and (b) existing public playing fields have been improved through National Lottery funding.

Allan Wilson: Awards under the Lottery Sports Fund have helped provide 35 new pitches (22 synthetic and 13 grass) and upgrade 13 pitches (two synthetic and 11 grass).

Statistics

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the collection of national statistics in order to ensure that a wider range of figures is held centrally with particular regard to health board, education and local authority statistics.

Angus MacKay: Scottish Executive statistics will be reviewed within the National Statistics framework, at least every five years, involving external experts as appropriate. These reviews will be wide-ranging and will take account of the needs of users of the information, while considering the burden that meeting these imposes on data providers. A UK-wide review programme is being developed for each broad subject area (National Statistics theme) and consultation on the proposed three-year work plans for 2001-02 onwards is currently in progress. Details are available on the National Statistics website, http://www.statistics.gov.uk.

  I will shortly be releasing the second Scottish Executive Statistical Plan, for 2001-02, for consultation. This will provide an opportunity to comment on all aspects of our statistical programme, including the need for statistics on particular topics or areas. Responses to the consultation on the first plan, issued earlier this year, did not suggest any major shortfalls in the range of statistics we have available. We specifically highlighted that we had identified a growing need for more detailed local data: we will be bringing forward proposals for meeting that.

  Scottish health statistics are not collected by the Executive and so were not within the initial scope of National Statistics. The Minister for Health and Community Care is currently considering detailed proposals on the extension of the scope of National Statistics to include health data. All information within scope will be covered by the same review arrangements described above.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it proposes to allocate funding announced in August 2000 for the Powershift programme.

Sarah Boyack: A total of £125,000 has been made available for vehicle conversions in urban areas, and £265,000 for this purpose in rural areas. The latter have been defined as areas over 30 minutes drive from places with 10,000 of a population. Funds for vehicle conversions in urban areas will be increased if the allocation for rural areas is not fully taken up.

Unemployment

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce unemployment in North Ayrshire.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We will continue to work with all local agencies to encourage business development and to ensure that the Ayrshire workforce has the necessary skills to suit labour market requirements within the area.

Voluntary Sector

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the voluntary sector will be supported in utilising information and communications technology.

Jackie Baillie: On 23 November, I announced a £1.5 million funding package over three years for information and communications technology in the voluntary sector. This will build on the £0.5 million made available this year.

  This will promote internet access, website development and the necessary support and technical assistance to operate new technology effectively.

Water Charges

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to relief on water charges for community halls and charitable organisations.

Allan Wilson: I understand that, following a consultation exercise, the authorities are considering their position with regard to the remaining reliefs for charitable organisations. When the authorities have reached a decision, they will write as soon as possible to all the organisations involved.